Honouring Sam Slick

The Horse Trust has been caring for the twilight years of military working horses since the Boer War, after 130 years, losing these amazing boys and girls at the end of their lives of service never gets any easier. It is our duty to them and our final act of love to know when we need to say goodbye.

The amazing Sam Slick has been with us for 8 years so it’s particularly hard to say goodbye, especially for Head Groom Angie who has cared for him for so long. Sam was a one in a million horse. He served as an Officer’s Charger in The Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery for 14 years, then spent his first few years here with his buddy, confusingly also called Sam, dashing around the place enjoying the freedom retirement brought. In his dotage and long after the other Sam had gone ahead, Sam Slick was best known for pottering about the yard like the team’s pet dog! He loved being with our fantastic team of grooms more than the other horses and basically had the run of the place. He was almost constantly on Tony the Vet or Duncan the Farrier’s lists as he had the most appalling feet! But that never stopped him playing with his treat ball or loving every minute of his properly pampered life. Finally at 26 years old, his foot and leg pain became too great to keep him comfortable and with many tears, we made the heart-breaking decision to let our yard mascot and great friend go.

We know our visitors will miss him and the yard just doesn’t feel the same without him so we will be renaming it “Sam Slick’s Yard” in his honour. Night night our big silly dog of a horse. You are truly irreplaceable in our hearts and we promise, that yard you made your own, remains yours forever more.